Saaliah
Said to be iconic of Malchut's struggle with and initial resistance towards the Alamo Empire, Saaliah is a god whose worship has segued in and out of legality throughout Malchut's history. Being a free-spirited god with resentment towards law, Saaliah essentially became the symbol for freedom from the Alamo Empire. Even after the Alamo Empire disbanded, governments in Malchut viewed Saaliah as promoting anarchy and disorder, and worship of this god has thus remained confined to the shadows where it hasn't been stamped out entirely. Appearance Saaliah is depicted as a sabarian with wings of fire. A halo of light circles around his tail, though this halo is broken at some parts and is not a perfect circle. His countenance is said to have a burning conviction in it -- a stern gaze with burning eyes and a set jaw of grim purpose. He dresses in rags, as he disapproves of aristocracies and nobility and is meant to be a god for even the lowest of the low. Religion A common sentiment in this religion's various sacred texts is the notion that power corrupts any who hold it. Even someone with the best of intentions will be forced to make decisions that come at someone else's expense. From there, it's all too easy to continue to ignore a group's needs and desires in favor of "the greater good" -- a faulty proposition at best. As such, it is best that everyone lives according to their own designs and desires with no one infringing on one another. Working together should not be mandated by a government; it should be a decision of mutual benefit or pure-hearted altruism. Worship of Saaliah does not promote complete anarchy and destruction, however. Although this god's religion is egalitarian and represents equality for all, it also cautions its followers to not become as bad or worse than those who abuse power. Disagreements should be settled diplomatically and with terms both parties agree on -- not necessarily whatever benefits someone most. Saaliah would disapprove of any who steal from the poor or who oppress groups of people, even if those people were the oppressors at some point. "Take care that you do not share your accuser's sins" is a mantra any who embrace Saaliah's teachings must adhere to. Despite common misconceptions, Saaliah's religion itself does not encourage dismantling existing governments. Rather, these governments should peacefully abdicate and dissolve on their own through the teachings of Saaliah. However, because governments throughout the years have tried to eliminate all worship of this seemingly anarchist god, Saaliah has become the chosen god to self-proclaimed freedom fighters, revolutionaries, and even some terrorists. Essentially, Saaliah becomes a misrepresented icon of the oppressed, and his teachings are misconstrued to serve various government-destroying agendas. This serves only to perpetuate a cycle where Saaliah is seen as a threat, which further encourages this darker side of worship, and the government once again attempts to enact measures to eliminate anything connected to Saaliah. Category:Gods Category:No Spoilers